Scow hull constructed of channel shapes



3 Sheets-Sweet I"y Aug. 17 1926.. R. E. ELLIS scow HULLYcoNsTRUcTED oF CHANNEL- sHAPEs Filed Dec. 21, 1925 a mm.

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'FTS' PAT ELVJGOD ELLIS, 0F SEATTLE, WASHING-TON.

SCW HULL CONSTRUCTED OF CHANNEL ES.

Application mcd December 21, 1925. Serial No. 76,723.

My invention relates to a scow hull constrncted of channel shapes. The particular type ot' a ship known as a scow is peculiarly subject to great strains diie to its extreme shallowness in comparison to its breadth and length, and also due to the lach of uniformity in disposition of the load. ln loading a, ship, great care is taken to load the same uniformly, so that the weight is balanced and the vessel is kept in trinn thereby placing no undue strains upon the hull. 'lhe exact opposite condition obtains for a scow, A. scow may be placed ander a chute lor loading, and one side or end may he heavily loaded, with the result that the vessel may be disposed et a big angleto the surface of the water, or she may trim by how or steri1,-all of which. produces abnormal strains on the structure. Afin-ther complicating factor is that the structure must sustain the towing strains while supporting the load, a condition which, of course, is not ordinary in the case ci' a ship.

Furthermore, a scow is subject to particularly severe shocks arising when the tugs, which tow or push the scow from one place to another, strike or ram into the scow hull to shove it sidewise, or endwise. ln all, these Ways, as well as others, a scow hull. is subject to especially rough usage.

Urdinarily a scow must be of shallow draft and economical. in construction, as well as of great strength. According to present practice and design, scows are generally constructed ot' wood. Serious objection obtains to wooden construction in that the same gradually becomes 'water-soaked, so that it is customary to allow a high pel'- centage or redaction in theii` carrying capacity depending upon the age ol the structure. flihis must be considered when the seow is dispatched to receive a load and vconstitutes a large element in calculating its depreciation and loss in efficiency. y While a scow. made olf metal, such as iron or steel, overcomes this objection, nevertheless the great cost of steel construction heretofore has proven such a handicap that the more general construction ior scows has been wooden. Another objectionvto wooden hull construction is that it becomes deformed or hogged,' duc to the fact that the hull is much heavier per unit of length at the ends than in the portion intermediate the ends. This normally places the deck under 'has this objection been that tension and the bottom under compression. Therefore, a primary object of my invention is to provide a metal hull construction which will overcome these objections and be light so as to be of shallow draft' and yet or' such strength as to meet the severe requirements imposed by the conditions'oitscow operation.`

The particular metal construction unit known as a channel shape is desirable tor hull construction for some reasons, particnlarly since they may be secured together along their flanges which may be disposed inwardly of the hull, anclthe riveting, which may be employed in holding the same together, may thus be kept from losing exposed to the water for the most part., Said lianges also constitute stidening ribs which permit of providing the necessary strength and stitness and at the same time ber lmulch of the transverse frame members, and in the construction herein set forth eliminate entirely the longitudinal framing; In this wise, lightness of construction is ohtained, which ordinarily must characterize a scow so that it may operate in shallow water and carry its maximum load. Channel shapes are a 'market article which may be employed throughout an entire hell and he in general of one width, (subject to the variations hereinafter to be noted as to eX- act width). This results in eliminating the great cost of handling and asserting and batting', which'increases the cost so greatly in ilat plate construction., At least, the sizes ot' the channel shapes may be so limited in number for a given hull that little or no objection arises by reasonr of handling and asserting, while batting is 4eliminated altogether.

However, serious objection has obtained to the employment of said channel shapes due to their varying width,

the adoption ol channel shapes as a. const' ction :mit has heen postponed so tar as their use is concerned in hull. construction. The obvious manner of overcoming this objection,l namely, by using' liners, cost that little advantage would remain .in adopting such units of construction. The. variation in width o theLchannel shapes arises by reason of the tact that the temperature of the rollcrsat the rolling mill vary. A primary objectv of my invention is te and so serious 'eliminate both by weight as well as by nnmso greatly increases the overcome this objection occasioned b the variation in widths Vof the channel-s apes and eliminate the use of liners.

The above mentioned general objects of my invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the device illus trated in the followin drawings, the same being merely 'preferre exemplary forms of embodiment of my invention, throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts: 4 I v Figure 1 is va view in crossfsection from amidship to the side of 1a scow hull structure embodyin my invention;

Fig.v 2 is a ragmentary view in side elevation oflsa-id scow embodying my invention;

Fig. 3 is a View in cross sectio'noffan end portion of a scow embodying my invention; Fig. 4 is a fragmentarydeck View of a scow embod ing my invention.

Channel s iapes 5 extending from one end of the vessel to the other are disposed side byside with their flanges riveted together which form -ribs 6, preferablyl longitudinally disposed of the vessel.l These channel shapes are caused to extend laterally on both sides from the midship section 7, 7. Likewise, channelshapes 8 are employed to form the sides of the scow hull and extend from one end to .the other. The lateralmost channel'shap'e on each side in the bottom is in spaced relation to the bottom-most channel shape on the Side, and the side and bottom are then connected b means of a bilge plate 9 extending the ull length of the vessel and up the rakes. This placing the said channel shapes in spaced relation provides for taking' up any dlscrepancies in width that may result from the difference in width of the channel shapes. It must be remembered that said channel shapes may vary considerably in width, even though a given sizebe ordered, owing to the fact that the rollers at the steel mill vary 1n width due to tne variations .in temperature incident to the manufacturing process.

The deck isformed of channel' shapes 10 having their fianges preferably turnedinwardly to present a smooth eck surface. Obviously, transverse rframe members 11, 12 and 18 with lattice framing members 14, 15 and 16 form a transversely disposed truss member which supports thesides and bottom and deck. Corner plates-18 serve to make more rigid the attachment of these transverse frame members., "Notches 28 in the transverse members provide openings for the ribs 6,

It will be noted that there tudinal frame members of the character such as employed for the transverse .truss members. Inshort, it is the rib members formed b,y the flan es ofthe channel shapes 5 and are no longin provide for the longitudinal stiffening, so

that the units which constitute the hull wall. also are employed to constitute the longitur dinal stiifenhw members. This eliminates the great weight of the longitudinal keelsons without lessening: the' strength of the vessel, and by eliminating the weight not only is the scow made much cheaper, but also it is made much lighter, and therefore a -shallowness of draft is provided, which enables the scow tocarry a maximum load. It must be remembered .that lightness of weight is most important in a scow, which must bevenab1 *d to approach close to shore and loperate most frequently in very sha1n low water. The lateral bearing of the flangesA also provides for a latejal stifening which assists in keeping the weight reduced to a minimum.

Channel Ishapes 19 (see Fig. 8) are'dis-v in spaced relation providesV for taking, up

yany discrepancies in width, which may occur in the channel sha es 10 forming the deck. Plate 25 is prefere ly caused to extendwell down the side of the scow, so that it may function as a protector plate.,l Corner pieces 27 may be employed to protect the deck corners.

The mode of operation of a scow embodying my invention has been explained above inv connection with its construction. 1t is manifest that the elimination of the longitudinal framing members provides for a very much` cheaper steel construction, and

it is manifest that since the deck is normally under tension and the bottom under compression, advantage may be well taken of this fact in providing the hull to be made of channel shapes, the flanges of which sha es are caused to constitute longitudinally isposed ribs which 4function as longitudinal braci members. At the same time Weight is eliminated, with the all-im ortant advantage in a scow construction o roviding for a shallow draft. Having the channel shapes 5 extend to the rakes and the deck channel `shapes 10 extend full length of the vessel,

and likewise the channel shapes 8 forming the sides and extend-ing from rake to rake, eliminates all difficulties arising by reason of connecting the channell shapes as respects their end portions. A number of scowsfnow the channe shapes 10 which particularly actuallyeconstructed andin operation establishes beyond any question of a doubt the importance of the advantages herein noted.

Obviously, changes may be made in the form, dimensions and arrangement of the arts of my invention, without departing rom the principle thereof, the above set tin forth only a preferred form of emiment. q. ,i

I claim: 'p 1. A scow embodying a hull substantially square in vertical cross section at all trans verse. planes, formed of channel shapes, said shapes extending lengthwise alongt-he sides and bottomof the hull, said sides and bottom `being in spaced. relation; vtakes which are in spaced relation to the bottom; a bilge late-on eachside connecting the side and ttom, said plate extending along the bottom and up' the rakes; plates extending transversely of the hull connecting said rakes l and bottom; transverse trusses secured to the sides, bottom and deck, the

flanges of the channel shapes being secured together and constituting excluslvely the longitudinal framing, whereby is provided a scow characterized by its strength and lightness of weight and, shallowness of draft.

2. A scow substantially square in vertical cross section at all transverse lplanes, having a deck, bottom, rakes and sides composed of longitudinally extending channel shztiges, er,

the flanges of which are riveted toge the terminal side, bottom and rake shapes being s aced apart; bilge plates extending along t e bottom and up the'rakes, said plates connecting said bottom and sides, and

said sides and rakes; plates connecting the rakes and bottom; and transverse trusses secured to sides, deck and bottom, said channel shape flanges constituting exclusively the longitudinal framing.

A In witness whereof, 'I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of December 1925. ROBERT ELwooD ELLIS. 

